The show reel ranges from laughs with Nick Faldo and Prince William, the 18th on the Old Course in the snow, seeing John Gallagher hit the ball cack-handed, enjoying trick shot specialist David Edwards, to hearing great stories from local Old Course caddy John Boyne on the famous Road Hole.

It also includes tips on playing Kingsbarns, to helicopter footage of the courses at St Andrews. In addition Andy profiles the famous 19th hole in St Andrews, namely the Dunvegan Hotel, and takes time to understand how playable hickory clubs are made at the St AndrewsGolf Company.

The show reel also features Musselburgh Old Links, the oldest course in the world, and spends some time with Karl Morris, the mind coach to Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke. Andy also talks to Ross Biddiscombe, author of Golf On The Edge 2.

If you a restaurant, retail shop, professional or service provider who wants to describe your own story on location in a documentary interview style, I can definitely help by producing a custom crafted 1 minute video especially for your web site. For those of you far away I can a professional voice over record a custom script, that is then laid over a 30 second photo montage to produce a great video about your business.

** Special £99 FourBall Offer **

You can book a tee time for 4 players on either The Torrance or Kittocks course until 31st March 2010 for just £99 by calling +44 (0)1334 837023. Further details can be found here.

Cleveland Golf And Srixon Scottish Senior Open

Neil told me that preparing the Torrance Course for the Scottish Senior Open had been challenging for him and his team, involving long days (on course from 4.30am to 9.30pm), unpredictable Scottish weather to contend with and of course lots of hard work. From what I could see Neil and his team’s efforts had definitely paid off. Their attention to detail showed in the condition of the course – it looked fantastic.

The Torrance Course

The Torrance Course was designed by the late Gene Sarazen and winning Ryder Cup Captain, Sam Torrance in 2001, with recent renovations by architect Gary Stephenson. It’s an excellent par 72, 7037 yard course with a beautiful backdrop of the coastal edge and beach, with breathtaking views towards the historic university town of St Andrews.

Neil told me that although the Torrance is marketed as a championship golf course it really does cater for golfers of all abilities. For instance the seniors were playing off 6846 yards, where as the front tees play to 5200 yards. Just 3 miles from St Andrews, the award winning The Fairmont Resort (18th Best Golf Resort in the World by Conde Nast Traveler), offers golfers a luxurious retreat with world class golf. The two courses and 209 room hotel are set in a 520 acre estate, with unique coastal views to the Angus coast and Carnoustie.

Torrance Course Redesign

I’ve played the Torrance Course before several times so I was eager to find out from Neil what changes I could expect to see from the newly designed course. The redesign works included extensive state of the art fairway drainage, all new tees and newly revetted bunkers. Neil also talked me through some of the green and hole modifications which had taken place. The layout has been changed on 8 of the Torrance’s holes, 2 of its’ greens have been moved. The turf from the original 12th hole was moved 50 yards to form what is now hole 14. The 18th green has moved 100 yards south, to create a more uphill and demanding hole with 6 new bunkers. Neil also told me that all of the 4 par 3 holes at the Torrance are very strong. The 11th hole has splendid views of St Andrews in the distance and the 17th features an intimidating 8 foot deep bunker!

Course Conditions

The new Torrance layout offers golfers plenty of variety and challenges with many holes playing in a variety of directions. The first 5 holes cover every direction, north south east and west, and with each one the wind changes will require players to use just about every shot in their bag!

The winds, which are fairly constant at the Torrance, set golfers a bit of a challenge, as do the devilish bunkers, and undulating fairways. As with most courses in St Andrews, when you play the Torrance you will need to master the winds as club selection can make a real difference to your score card here. Neil explained how most golfers, including Sam Torrance, had to adapt their game plan to master the course.

Hosting Golf Events

Since opening in June 2001 the Torrance Course has played host to the Vagliano Trophy, the Red Bull Masterclass, International Pairs, The Partypoker.com International Open and of course the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open. During this episode I also discussed with Neil what an honor it is for the Torrance Course to be nominated by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club as a local Open qualifying course for the 2010 Open in St Andrews. He told me that a lot of thought which went into the redesign of the course was with the Open qualifying event in mind.

So if you would like to see some of the professional golfers try to earn their slot in the Open next year get yourself along to the Torrance Course!

Further contact details:

Fairmont St Andrews Golf Courses

St Andrews Bay

St Andrews

KY16 8PN

Telephone Number +44 (0)1334 837023

Fax Number +44 (0)1334 471115

Website: Fairmont.com

Email: Contact here

Finally, the Question of the Day:

When you’re booking a golf holiday what is the most important thing to you. Leave your comments below and we’ll have fun reading them!

The show reel ranges from laughs with Nick Faldo, the 18th on the Old Course in the snow, to hearing great stories from local Old Course caddy John Boyne on the famous Road Hole, to tips on playing Kingsbarns, to helicopter footage of the courses at St Andrews.

In addition I talk to Jack and Sheena at the famous 19th hole in St Andrews, namely the Dunvegan Hotel. I also take time to understand how playable hickory clubs are made at the St Andrews Golf Company.

The show reel also features Musselburgh Old Links, the oldest course in the world, as well as spending some time with Karl Morris, the mind coach to Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke.

In this episode James and Margaret offered me a warm and friendly welcome into their award-winning B&B in the historic town of St Andrews. They discussed with me how they achieved the Scottish Tourist Board 4 Star Award with their thoughtful and generous hospitality towards their guests and great attention to detail. They really are a font of local information and take pleasure in sharing this knowledge with guests at their B&B so that they can get maximum enjoyment out of their time in St Andrews.

During my visit to Braeside House James and Margaret shared with me plenty of stories about their golfing exploits around St Andrews and other courses too. I especially enjoyed their tale of how they managed to secure marshalling jobs at the 4th and 17th holes for the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass this year. Plus James tells me how he walked the full 18 holes at Augusta during the The Masters with his son and Colin Montgomerie! I then noticed a photograph of Margaret and Hugh Grant in the lounge and hear how she regularly scores for the celebrities during the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews

As both James and Margaret are lucky enough to be Links Ticket holders they have played all of the golf courses at St Andrews many times, particularly the Old Course. This allows them to share with residents their golfing knowledge on how to book tee times. Whilst James can’t guarantee getting you a tee time for the Old Course he will certainly do his utmost to secure one for you during your stay at Braeside House!

One of the highlights of your visit to Braeside House is sure to be the scrumptious breakfast which they offer. Whether it’s the home-made pancakes, traditional full Scottish Breakfast or the Arbroath Smokies you opt for, alongside porridge, fresh fruit, cereals and toast with home-made marmalade, jams and local honey, these freshly cooked delectable delights are sure to carry you through at least one round of golf in St Andrews! What a great way to start your day in St Andrews – you definitely won’t set off with a rumbling tummy!

As well as offering exceptional hospitality this privately owned B&B comprises of 3 spacious, tastefully furnished en-suite bedrooms which are all non-smoking. As a guest at Braeside House you can also enjoy its spacious dining room and comfortable guest lounge.

Braeside House also offers guests ample parking facilities, express laundry and dry-cleaning facility and free Internet Wi-Fi.

Braeside House is in a quiet and lovely location which is also very convenient – it’s within easy walking distance to the shops, restaurants and bars, the university, and the historic sights of St Andrews. Most importantly a 10 minute walk is all that is required to take you to the famous St Andrews Old Course, the Home of Golf!

James also recommends the Castle Course, set on a dramatic cliff location, overlooking St Andrews Bay. Watch the video to see a great painting of the new seventh course by local St Andrews artist Ken Roberts. Ken is based at the Hill Crest Studio Gallery in Strathkiness, just 3 miles from St Andrews.

Whether it’s a round of golf on the Home of Golf’s world famous courses you are after or simply a few days to visit the attractions of St Andrews and take in its special atmosphere I recommend Braeside House for your stay – you’ll arrive as guests and leave as friends!

During Episode 7 I also had the pleasure of accompanying James on an aerial tour of St Andrews. From the helicopter ( PDG Helicopters ) I managed to capture amazing footage of the Old Course and St Andrews Links, as well as the surrounding area including the Fairmont St Andrews Hotel with the new Kittocks course (previously the Devlin) and the Torrance course, Firth of Tay, the Tay Bridge, Tentsmuir Beach and Dundee. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did from the air!

Braeside House B&B

25 Nelson Street, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8AJ Scotland

Website: Braeside-StAndrews.co.uk

Email: james@braeside-standrews.co.uk

Tel No: +44 1334 473375

Fax No: +44 1334 479102

Finally the Question of the Day:

What is your favorite golf accommodation in the world? Please leave your answer in the comments section below. Thank you.

This week I visited the Dunvegan Hotel, which is located a 9-iron from the Old Course’s 18th green (depending on the wind!) on the corner of Golf Place and North Street in St Andrews.

The Dunvegan Hotel, which was deemed the perfect 19th hole by Sam Torrence, is owned and operated by Sheena and Jack Willoughby. Jack, a 4th generation Texan, and his Scottish wife Sheena were kind enough to show me round the Golfers Corner Lounge Bar (although I was somewhat familiar with it, having sunk a few pints there on previous visits!) and chatted with me about how their hotel has come to be St Andrew’s premier drinking spot for players, caddies and golf fans!

Popping in to the Dunvegan Hotel for a drink and something to eat is as much a part of the St Andrews experience as visiting the Old Course. You only have to look around the bar to see that visitors come back time and again for the warm welcome, the fine selections of beers, ales, and spirits, freshly prepared homemade meals and some post-golf banter! During this episode I had a chance to chat to some golfers in the bar who had made the journey from their home courses of NorthGate Country Club in Texas and Green Island Country Club in Georgia to St Andrews many times to enjoy the Dunvegan’s amazing hospitality and great Scottish links golf.

Jack and Sheena are both avid golfers themselves who told me that despite having played the Old Course innumerous times, every time they stand on the first tee it’s still special to them.

As well as its popular bar the Dunvegan also boasts a fantastic restaurant, the Claret Jug. They offer a variety of mouth watering dishes and specialize in quality char grilled steaks. Of course you can top off your meal with your choice of over 50 single malt whiskies covering all regions of Scotland!

This family-run St Andrews hotel also offers comfortable overnight accommodation. It can comfortably sleep 16 golfers in its 2 double rooms, 3 twin bedrooms and the Auchterlonie Suite (situated immediately across the street from the Dunvegan) which consists of 3 bedrooms, 2 spacious bathrooms with power showers and jacuzzi baths, a large living room and a kitchen. I’ve stayed their myself during a golf holiday a few years before I moved to St Andrews and can highly recommend it. The accommodation is perfect, lots of room for golf clubs, hanging up wet waterproofs and the best news is that Jack and Sheena will fit in breakfast around your tee times!

Check out my latest episode to witness the friendly atmosphere for yourself and see some of the Dunvegan’s past celebrity visitors. The walls of the bar are lined with a collection of photographs of Sheena and Jack taken with golfing legends who have frequented the bar for a post-golf tipple including Tiger Woods, Lorena Ochoa, Mark O’Meara, John Daly and celebrities ranging from George Bush Snr to Hugh Grant. Take a look at this video especially shot by The Golf Channel during the Open, they call the Dunvegan Hotel “one of the best hangouts in the world of golf!”. No wonder Lorena Ochoa choose The Dunvegan for her 2007 Women’s British Open winner’s part here.

One of the Dunvegan’s most regular visitors was Arnold Palmer’s former caddie Tip Anderson who used to shuffle into the bar on a regular basis for a half-pint of Eighty Shillings beer with a rum and water on the side. In the bar of the Dunvegan you can still see for yourself a brass plaque above a velour banquette, which reads: “This chair reserved for Tip and his friends.” Tip was the most celebrated of the St Andrews caddies, his knowledge of every hump and hollow on the Old Course almost helped Arnold Palmer to win the Centenary Open in 1960, coming second to Kel Nagle by one stroke. The following two years saw Palmer and Tip win successive Open championships, at Royal Birkdale and Royal Troon. Tip then went onto caddie for Tony Lema in his 1964 Open victory at St Andrews.

During this episode Sheena also showed me the Dunvegan’s gallery of fantastic portraits of every Open Champion dating back to 1860 which were created by David Joy. David is a multi-talented fourth generation born and bred St Andrean. As well as being an amazing artist and illustrator his talents range from golf historian, guest speaker, playwright, author and active community member in St Andrews. David is committed to the preservation of St Andrews and its traditions and is involved in most of the town’s activities, be it through golf, theatre, the University, or the safeguarding of the Royal and Ancient City of St Andrews. He is probably best known as “The man who plays Tom Morris” – a one-man show premiered during the 1990 Open, which has since been televised and adapted as a commercial video and distributed world-wide under the name of Keeper of the Greens. David brings to life celebrated Open winner Old Tom Morris (1861-62-64 & 67) by dressing up as Old Tom (scroll down for video) and providing modern-day golfers with an insight into the history of the great game and how it used to be.

So remember next time you are visiting St Andrews I definitely recommend a visit to St Andrews’ most famous watering hole, the Dunvegan Hotel – I might even see you there for a post-golf pint!

Dunvegan Hotel

7 Pilmour Place, North Street, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland

Website: Dunvegan-Hotel.com

Email: dunveganhotel@easynet.co.uk

Tel No: +44 1334 473105

Fax No: +44 1334 479102

Finally the Question of the Day:

What is your favorite post-golf tipple or drink? Please leave your answer in the comments section below. Thank you.

On a sunshine filled February day I took time out to film the very first episode of HomeofGolf.tv.

It was fun to stroll around the 18th and 17th greens before deciding to check out the views over West Sands and the Old Course from The Seafood Restaurant.

As luck would have it Ross Frame, the restaurant manager at The Seafood Restaurant, was kind enough to chat to me about their menu of the day. I always highly recommend a meal at this award winning restaurant.

Afterwards I met Elizabeth Palompo, owner of Cameron House Guest House, who gave me a great insight into when to book accommodation for the 2010 Open Championship and also all year around. Plus I had a chat with American Robbie, a long time patron, about his twice yearly visits to the Home of Golf.

Finally a quick trip to the Castle before wrapping up by the 1st hole on the Old Course.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you thought of the first episode. Additionally what is your most memorable Open Championship moment?

Cheers

Andy

P.S. Make sure you don’t miss the next episode by signing up here

Links mentioned in this episode:

The Seafood Restaurant, St Andrews

Bruce Embankment, St Andrews, KY16 9AB
Tel: 01334 479 475

Cameron House, St Andrews

11 Murray Park, St Andrews
Tel: 01334 47 23 06

The Question of the Day:

What is your most memorable Open Championship experience? Please leave your answer in the comments section below. Thank you.